Production of ammonia.



FREDRIK V7. mt J'AHDL'CF NEW YORK, N. '55., AElSIGNOIt '20 GENE'EAL GHEMIQAL COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. 21,- A COEY'OMTION OF NEW YGRK,

rnonnorro'n'or Ammonia.

No Drawing,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Fnnonm W. on JAHN, a subject of the King of Norway, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Production of Ammonia, of which the following is a specification.

My invention-relates to the synthetic production of ammonia and more particularly to a new catalytic agent therefor, its produo-' pared by suitably passing dry ammonia gas in contact with metallic sodium at a temperature of about 300 C., the sodium being distributed upon a suitable carrier. With a catalytic agent so prepared nitrogen and hydrogen may be caused to combine, with the production of ammonia at a temperature ranging from about 550 C. to about 600 C. and a pressure less than 100 atmospheres, for example, a pressure averaging about 85 atmospheres. 7

in order that my invention may be clearly understood, it is now set forth in the form of a specific example, it being understood, of course, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact materials or proportions thereof nor to the other conditions of the example, since these mav be varied without departing from my invention.

Ewamplc IPr0po7;ing the cowl-peer. Pumice stone in small pieces is purified by treatment with hydrochloric acid in thecold for about twenty four hours; it is then washed with distilled water untilfree-irom chlorid and then ignited to dryness, Of this product of dry, granular, pumicestone, 100 grams are mixed with 16 grams of metallic sodiunrin an indifi'erent atmosphere,

' such as thatof hydrogen, and the material is heated for the purpose of melting the sodium and distributing it over the surfaces of the pumice granules; the material is preferably stirred vigorously during this heating $peeification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug, 23%, fluid,

application filed Februaryfll, 181%. ficrial No. 820,186.

so as to aid in making the distribution oi the sodium uniform. The indifferent atmosphere is then displaced by anhydrous ammonia'vapor or gas and the material is heat- -ed to about 300 C. in a current of this an monia vapor until a practically constant weight is obtaine The material bemg cooled is preserved ready ffor use prei crably in adry atmosphere of ammonia,

The pumice stone acts as'a carrier or sup port for the catalytic agent and may, tr, course, be replawdbyrany other suitable inert andheat resistant material, preferably one which-is eith r porous or fibrous or both. Instead of the sodium an equivalent amount of potassium may be used and instead of the sodium or potassium followed by treatment with ammonia, sodium or potassium amid may be used.

Emample li -Utilising the catalyzes" to produce ammonia.F or producing ammonia about 128 grams of the above sodium and nitrogen catalyzer, or a corresponding amountof its equivalent, are placed in a suitable catalytic chamber for ammonia synthat the ammonia gas leaving the treating chamber constituted up to 5% by volume of the total gas leaving said chamber, this percentage depending upon the applied pres sure. The ammonia is removed from the gas discharged from the catalytic chamber in any suitable manner.

I claim:

1." The herein described process of producing ammonia which comprises passing a gaseous mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen in contact with a catalytic agent composed essentially of an alkali metal and nitrogen and distributed upon a suitable carrier.

dncing ammonia which comprises passing a gaseous mixture containing nitrogen and "thesis and there is passed in contact with are 2. The herein described process of prov hydrogenunder pressure in contact with a hydrogen under pressurefless than 100.

' heated catalytic andynitrogen and able carrier.

a v3. The herein 7 ducing ammonia hydrogen in contact heated catalytic ofan alkali metal and nitrogen and tributed upon a suitable carrier.

described process of prowhich comprises passing a containing, nitrogen and disgaseous I mixture fatmos'pheres'in contactwith a heated cute- I metal and nitrogen .suitable carrier.

lytic agent composed essentially of an alkali and distributed upon a described process of prowhich comprises passing a containing nitrogen and t. The'herein ducing ammonia gaseous mixture atmospheres in contact with a heated.cata

ly'tic agent composed essentially of sodium distributed upon a suit- 7. The herein described process ofproduci'ng ammonia which agent composed essentially with a catalytic agent, dium andni-trogenl comprises passing'a gaseous mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen under pressure less than 100 satmospheres in contact with a heated catalytic agentobtainableflfrom metallic sodium and gaseous ammoni and distributed upon a su'itablecarrier.

8. The hereindescribed process of producing ammoniafwhich comprisespassinga gaseous mixture hydrogen in contact with a heated catalytic agent composed essentially ofsodium and nitrogen and distributed upon a pumice.

9. The herein described process of producing ammonia which'comprises passing a gaseous" mixture containing nitrogen and hydrogen under a pressure less than 100 atmospheres in contact with a heated catac'ontaining nitrogen and" lytic agent composed essentially of sodium and nitrogen and distributed upon pumice.

10a; The herein described process of producing ammonialwbich comprises passing a gaseous mixture containing nitrogen an hydrogen under pressure less than 100 atmospheres in contact with a heated catalytic agent obtainable from metallic sodium and gaseous ammonia and distributed upon pumice. I

.In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. 7

v I FBEDBIK W. on J AHN.

Witnessesr I JOHN A. FERGUSON,

' v FRED Kmart. 

